what I get up to when I'm not tidying up elsewhere, plus addendum!

making a mess in my home & studio, for one thing



1. I bring stuff into our household, such as these chairs from one of my tidy-up clients; to bring them up-to-date I've given them a lick of Indigo blue and a good rub with some bees wax:




2. I swap stuff with friends, such as this Singer sewing machine in exchange for an ink drawing. I want to experiment more with the bookmaking and feel a sewing machine will be useful. It needs some TLC and oil to get it up and running, maybe even some taking apart and putting back together again:


hurray! a Singer sewing machine, no cords, wifi or electricity required!

addendum:
Nicola Stevenette on Instagram kindly informed me there's a serial number with which you can trace the manufacturing date. You can almost make it out in the photo above Y 6392545. According to ISMACS International I now know it was built in 1922, not 1927 as I previously thought because of the manual that's included. The model is a Singer No.66 


added on Tuesday: the 3 following pics of a tiny simple hat I made for DutchBoy on the Singer! having bought needles in town and oiled the machine; have been watching loads of you-tube video's to help me along






3. I roughly finished this cloth piece, which I thought was going to be a table cloth, instead of which it turned into a blind for our eldest son's bedroom (when he's home with us, as he doesn't live here anymore) 
I do like it when a cloth piece can be useful as well as decorative.
I think waking up to this is going to cheer him, or any guest staying here, up: 




4. I go for walks, despite constant drizzle and wild winds almost blowing me over; here you can catch a glimpse of how high the waters are, the river Linge has flooded the riverbank:




5. I continue making ink drawings. Here's OBK wearing his velvet undergarment; I think the small bird next to him turned out well, OBK however kept twirling about, showing off his new cloth. I asked him to keep still, but he just wouldn't and suggested I make a new video where it wouldn't matter if they were all moving:

 


in the background there are the many phone calls and visits to our parents down south, all in order to keep our mum and dad's household organized enough for them to stay on in their own home....

Comments

Dana said…
I like your new blog format and header! That Singer sewing machine is a real score, especially with its beautiful carrying case. I hope you will be able to get it purring again. OBK may not have been cooperating, but you have captured him anyway. The gestural moment is what ink drawing is all about. On the window or on the table, your cloth is absolutely compelling. Go Saskia!
Ms. said…
productive and created AND caring for others. Surely that's plenty enough for any one, even any two.
Saskia said…
you have such a lovely way with words Dana, they are true brain-food.... 'the gestural moment...' I love that, thank you xx

ha, Michelle '....plenty for two,' I am a busy bee, although the activity is sometimes limited to talking non-stop to the husband, who at a certain moment raises his hand and says 'my harddrive is full' and I have to stop.....
Liz A said…
so, the fourth chair ... the white one in the back, with the green paint ... have we seen it close up before?? I don't recall, but it looks fascinating

and I do love seeing an old sewing machine ... I have a tiny one that I really do need to see to ... if only to clean it up and simply look at it ... thank you for the notion that I might do that
deemallon said…
The blind is so so lovely! You know how much I like to see light shining through patchwork! It’s hard to know what to do with the boys’ rooms. What’s still theirs? What’s not. All of your work inspires comment but wanted to Also say, blessings to you caring for elder parents. Especially when they live some distance away. Glad you have your water dog walks to recharge.
Saskia said…
am sure it has featured before Liz, we have a set of 4 (somebody's trash, our treasure; they're from Ikea) I painted them a creamy white and decorated each one a little differently with oils, all this years ago....I've fallen in love with the machine by now! and am hooked on video's explaining how to take care of it

Oh I do know you do Dee, I'm always admiring your work which softly echoes stained glass; I move stuff and furniture around a lot, not always appreciated by other family members, I guess it's a gender thingy.....am going south tomorrow for a couple of days, my mum's sisters are visiting from Denmark as well, so that'll be fun despite everything else....you know all too well what care giving means and costs
Mo Crow said…
I have a hand cranked Singer too, Lizzie Lennard recorded a couple of excellent videos that helped me pull mine apart and oil everything, it runs like a dream nearly 100 years later
here's the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bidpJsAzc2A
Saskia said…
thanks Mo, I am now a Singer fan and absolutely hooked on the countless you tube videos;-)
Saskia said…
oh and I wonder what you use yours for Mo
Nancy said…
Saskia, what a lovely list you've got here! OBK does look grand, as does Dutch Boy in his new hat! Hard to imagine so much water. Blessing to you in your loving care of your folks. xo
Mo Crow said…
The old Singer is great for machine stitching long straight seams into things like curtains or leather bags or trouser legs, not something I do a lot of but handy to have a sturdy reliable machine that can!
jude said…
there is a ton of energy here lately
Saskia said…
yes Mo, I was thinking how I will now be able to stitch longer straight pieces, so much faster than by hand; reliable that is a keyword isn't it!

Saskia said…
thanks Jude, now that I'm 100% self-employed I often think I'm not doing enough, factually recording helps me reconsider
Audrey Reiss said…
Hello Saskia, I am Aud from Leeds in England, slowly getting involved in learning to explore and communicate with technology, which those who know me find excruciatingly funny!!!! I am so happy to have come across your work and blog and hope I will negotiate a route to it to continue reading and loving your images. I am sewing and learning with Sue Stone's on line courses here at home. That was my initial impulse to use this lap top! and am coming across such wonderful textile arts and it has opened my world very happily in the past year. I do hope to find you again and just in case wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed looking at your work this morning. Thank you. Bye for now.....
Audrey Reiss said…
P.S. I also have just been loaned an old Jackson hand sewing machine that needs cleaning and taking apart, and feel my lack of technology prowess begin to melt a little reading your words and seeing the pictures so thank you for that too, and thank you to Mo Crow too for her suggestion. That is the next challenge with this lap top today!!!!
Saskia said…
hi there Aud, welcome in our midst! So great to hear a new voice and I do hope you will keep on visiting;-)
A big 'yes' to online courses. I myself have joined in lots of Jude Hill's courses at Spirit Cloth, and am at this moment following her latest installment; you might want to check her out too!
Many who gather here have 'met' each other in her online-classes and there is a virtual community who have been sharing loads for the past 9 years, visiting each others' blogs (as well as Instagram and FB). I'm now going to check out Sue Stone. Again, welcome and enjoy
Stay safe & well xx
Audrey Reiss said…
Thank you Saskia, it feels so uplifting to find like minds and all around the world too. Wonderful feeling. Just have to get to grips more with the technology, little by little! x

tungsten

tungsten

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